Step-By-Step to Panoramic Vistas via Google Street View

Looking at the panoramic maps is so much fun. But it can be a little tricky at first.

To get to your favorite park trail, just follow these 3 easy steps:

Step 1: Search for the park name in Google Maps and then click on the Street View option or the yellow pegman.

First, click on The Sea Ranch trails and beaches. The Google machine takes you to coordinates: 38°44’58.5″N 123°31’05.5″W

Next, click on the yellow pegman found at the far left (see the red arrow pointing). That brings up a map similar to one pictured here. The map’s blue lines mark the trails found recorded so far by Google Trekker.

Step 3: Enjoy your jaunt along the pathways of Sea Ranch or any other trail

To move forward just click ahead on the trail and allow the screen photo to come into focus as it moves ahead.

Be cautioned, however– moving the compass found in the lower right-hand corner can be a rather dizzying experience! What’s fun is to spin the view 360º as though no one was watching you dance in the field doing pirouettes.

That’s all there is to it!

Now you can use Google Street View to virtually saunter along the Sonoma Coast at Gualala Point, stand atop Taylor Mountain in Santa Rosa, and climb to Gunsight Rock at Hood Mountain in the Sonoma Valley.

All in the same day!

To find the images on sonomacountyparks.org, go to the individual park pages and click on the Street View map links.

Everyone’s Excited About Google Street View

“We are so excited to bring Sonoma County’s natural beauty to a worldwide audience,” said Sonoma County Regional Parks Director Caryl Hart. “Sonoma County is a spectacular destination for outdoor recreation. When people see these step-by-step trail panoramas, we’re sure they’ll want to visit the parks in person. Virtual images can’t replicate the sights, sounds, and smells of our forests and beaches, but they can highlight our landscapes and help more visitors discover Sonoma County.”

Panoramic Imagery

Amazingly. street View features panoramic imagery from around the world, from the Pyramids of Giza to the Amazon rainforest. Many images are collected with the Google Trekker, the newest vehicle in the Street View fleet. The Trekker is a backpack camera worn by an operator and automatically gathers images as the operator walks. That imagery is then stitched together to create the panoramas in Google Maps. Trekker operators hiked 19 of Sonoma County’s regional parks over the summer.

Visit Nearby Salt Point and other California State Parks too

California State Parks has also teamed with Google Maps allowing you to visit many of our beautiful parks as well right from your computer, tablet or smartphone A total of 110 state park destinations have been filmed using Google Trekker, a backpack-mounted camera that provides 360-degree footage.

Give Google Street View A Whirl Now!

Why not take any one of theGoogle Street View self-guided tours using listed below now? When you’re done, tell us what you think of it.

Which way shall you go today?

If you have visited a park let us know if this virtual hike is anything like visiting it in person. And in the event, you should want to move away from your virtual life and take that trail boots n’ all…

Let Google Trekker Inspire You

“As a California-based company, we are so pleased to bring this beautiful imagery of our great state to Google Maps for the world to explore and enjoy,” said Deanna Yick, Street View program manager. “We hope to see this Street View virtual tour through Sonoma County inspires them to visit in person one day.”

Sonoma County Regional Parks include 50 parks, trails, and beaches in the Sonoma Valley. They run along the Russian River, on the Sonoma Coast, and in the heart of Wine Country. Visited by more than 5 million people each year, the Regional Parks support healthy communities, preserve valuable natural and cultural resources, and provide opportunities for outdoor recreation and environmental education to both residents and visitors. For more information, please visit sonomacountyparks.org.

Don’t Leave Us and Friends in the Dust!

Let us know where you went today in the comments below. And don’t leave your friend in the dust! Be sure to share this post with them too.

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